Pelosi Uninvites Trump to Deliver State of the Union Address

Cierra Veizer, Sports Editor

Speaker of the House Nancy Pelosi sent a letter to President Donald Trump on Jan. 16 informing him that he was no longer invited to give his planned State of the Union address to a joint session of Congress on Jan. 29.

According to Pacific Standard, Pelosi gave the President two options: reschedule or deliver the address in writing. Pelosi explained that the reason for her request stemmed from her concerns about security during the temporary government shutdown.

Kirstjen Nielsen, secretary of the U.S. Homeland Security Department, said that her department and the U.S. secret service “are fully prepared to support and secure the State of the Union,” according to CNBC.

Some people believe that there are ulterior motives behind the letter.

“I think she (Pelosi) hates Donald Trump and will stop at nothing to ruin his presidency,” senior Kolten Ackerman said.

Though nothing could physically stop Trump from speaking in the House chamber, there is a strict set of rules over what is allowed to take place on the floor and what would be subject to censure. In order for someone to deliver formal remarks in the House of Representatives, the chamber must be “in session,” which is at the discretion of the speaker, according to McClatchy DC Bureau.

Senior Chris Byron, the Democratic Club President, believes that Pelosi’s letter was a negotiating tactic to reopen the government.

“I think he should reschedule it (the address), as he cannot deliver it without the speakers approval,” Byron said. “He needs to get the government back on its feet first.”

Trump hasn’t said whether he will accept the recommendation to postpone. In a letter to Pelosi on Jan. 17 announcing his decision to cancel her official travel to Afghanistan, he stated he “look(ed) forward to seeing her soon,” according to McClatchy DC Bureau.

“He should definitely give the address,” Ackerman said. “Better yet… he should rent out venue with his own money and open it up to public if Pelosi doesn’t want to hear his address.”

According to WRAL.com, North Carolina House Speaker Tim Moore invited President Trump to give the State of the Union address in Raleigh, N.C. on Jan. 18. And according to Detroit Free Press, Michigan House Speaker Lee Chatfield has also offered a place for the President to give the address.

It’s not known if the President will accept either of these offers or if he intends to try to give the address in the House. Either way, both political parties have different opinions on the situation.

“It (the address) should be delivered in a federal area to all the states as the framers intended,” Byron said.

Ackerman has a conflicting view with Byron.

“I don’t think he should give Pelosi a proverbial win, so he should either ignore her ‘rescinded invitation’ or follow something along the lines of the stadium proposal above,” Ackerman said. “Honestly it would just be hilarious to make her even more angry.”